Hello Everyone... Here is my long-winded story to date on purchasing a new 2007 M-B ML63 AMG back in 2007 and why I still have it now in 2013 with just over 75,500 miles.
As an automobile enthusiast, I always want to drive an automobile that makes me happy. Happy to look at it, happy to drive it and enjoying the entire experience of driving it and its ownership, regardless of whether it is my daily driver or some other vehicle that is only driven occasionally. For me, the most important actual and subjective variables for my vehicles, independent of Manufacturer, are:
1. Safety features/design
2. Attractive aesthetics
3. Fun driving experience
4. Decent (if not good) gas mileage.
5. Powerful (meaning, fast acceleration, for fun and safety)
Why did I choose the ML63 AMG?
My selection criteria can be subjectively ranked in the order of importance as follows:
1. Fast - The desire for fast, exhilarating speed, primarily neck-wrenching, grin-inducing acceleration. (Faster than the other high-end SAV Porsche Cayenne Turbo at the time and prior to the release of the BMW X5M)
2. Uniqueness - Compared to the other SUV/SAV's on the road in your respective areas. (you don't see that many MB ML63 AMG's around, now do you.....)
3. Cargo Capacity - Able to accommodate 4 people and their stuff (well, we have to rationalize it somehow to the family and neighbors....)
4. Towing Capacity - Ability to tow things, trailers, boats, wave runners, etc. (best looking and most capable SUV/SAV hauler on the road!)
5. Mercedes-Benz reputation, - Including quality, prestige, and the fact that it is not a Jeep!
6. Prior/Current M-B Ownership - Having owned a Mercedes-Benz 190SL since 1974 has provided me with plenty of experience with M-B Dealers and M-B clubs and enthusiasts.
7. Safety - M-B has a proven track record in their design of vehicles for safety. The M-B W164 had the highest safety rating from a number of Transportation/Highway Associations, so it would be hard to do better than the ML in that category.
In addition, I need an all-wheel drive vehicle for the approx. 2 weeks of the year we have to deal with snow covered roads. Plus, while it is only my wife and myself, we need the cargo space and height for all of our "stuff" for our road trip vacations, i.e. golf clubs, her clothes, cooler, etc. That is my justification for getting a SUV/SAV/whatever... But I wanted one that looks great and has the handling and ride as muck like a car as possible, along with the performance of the AMG tuning that I had become spoiled with, coming out of a 2004 M-B E55 AMG.
Did I consider the E63 AMG wagon? Yes, for a few minutes at least, but I am "old school" and it is still a station wagon, with all of the memories and stigma from my childhood, although it is probably the hottest wagon available....
So my ML63 ownership story officially begins in June 2007 when I took delivery of a new 2007 ML63 AMG that I had built-to-suit, ordered through a local MB Dealer in NJ, specified with my preferred silver exterior color and black nappa leather interior and all factory options available at that time, except for Distronic, but did include a special order AMG illuminated front door sills. In 2008 I had an Escort Passport 9500ci stealth radar detector / laser detector/diffuser system custom installed, which has paid for itself a couple of times over...
When I first leased my ML63 AMG back in 2007 I drove it as my daily driver, using it to commute to and from NYC. I averaged approx. 15.5 mpg for these trips... not great gas mileage but what was advertised when I originally selected the vehicle, so not a surprise. This vehicle requires the use of premium gasoline to run properly and therefore I am now on a first-name basis with several gasoline station attendants in my town.
The W164, and the ML63 in particular, works wonderfully as a very fast, comfortable, and fun long distance cruiser, capable of accommodating and carting all of our luggage and "stuff" on our long weekend excursions and vacation road trips. It really is only on the long trips in this country on interstate highways where the ML63's incredible acceleration capability is able to be best used in the most appropriate way, such as on entrance ramps and for lane change passing, etc. I rationalize the ML's poor gas mileage as just one more vacation cost and realize and appreciate that it is also part of the cost of putting a silly smile on my face whenever I am driving it....
Tires
I purchased four winter performance tires: 295/40 R20 Pirelli Scorpion ICE & SNOW tires that I have mounted on the OEM rims in early Dec. each year and then have them removed and replaced at the end of the following April with my four (OEM) Continental Cross Contact UHP 295/40 ZR 20 high performance summer tires. This routine has worked well for me living and driving in the northeast US. I have been please with the performance and wear of both types and brands of tires. Keep in mind that you cannot put a 19”rim on the ML63 since they will not clear the large brake rotors so I have to use 20” rims all year round.
End of Lease - What to do?
During the last several months of my lease in the spring of 2010 I started the investigation of what my next vehicle would be. I have been very happy with my W164 and certainly realize that no mass-produced automobile will be perfect or without some issues. How it ultimately performs will be influenced on variable factors including how and where you drive it, how often you properly service it and where and how you store it.
After much deliberation whether to get a new similar vehicle such as the new ML63, or competing vehicles such as the BMW X5M and Porsche Cayenne Turbo, I decided that the most cost effective solution was to buy my ML63 from Mercedes-Benz Financial at the end of the lease since it only had about 37,000 miles on it. I realized that since my '07 ML63 was loaded, I had everything I really needed in that vehicle other than the latest electronic communication/entertainment gadgetry. I determined that if I purchased my vehicle off of lease it would cost me about half the cost of buying/leasing a new one, ($50,000 vs. $100,000). I was able to negotiate with MBF what I thought was an acceptable deal to buy it for approx. $2,000 below my lease's stated residual value of the vehicle. As an enthusiast, I always baby my vehicles and had the MB Dealer always perform all of the necessary regular and preventive maintenance and servicing so the vehicle was and remains in great shape. I have always had the engine oil and filter changed at approx. 7,000 miles. I even had my M-B Dealer upgrade the rear tail lights to the later generation LED's, which look really good.
Servicing
In early 2011, at the 50,000 mile milestone, I had my M-B Dealer perform all of the M-B recommended servicing items noted below that were recommended to be performed and 50,000 miles, as well as those recommended to be performed at 60,000 miles, as a precaution, since I was buying the vehicle off of my original lease. (Mercedes-Benz Maintenance Services: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12 & 20). I also had all brake pads and rotors replaced on all four wheels, replaced both batteries, tire rotation, 4-wheel alignment, replace rusting lug bolts, (a common problem on all current M-B vehicles), and replace all 3 wiper blades. The total cost for all of this was $3,998.
In the summer of 2012, at the 70,000 mile mark, I had my M-B Dealer do the following recommended service on the vehicle:
1. Perform Mobil One synthetic oil and filter change
2. Perform a 4-Wheel Alignment after they remove my Winter Snow Tires and reinstall and balance my Summer Performance tires on the OEM rims
3. Flush & refill brake fluid (M-B Service 4)
4. Replace A.C. combination filter (M-B Service 5)
5. Replace air cleaner insert (M-B Service 8)
5. Change transmission oil & filter (M-B Service 20)
I paid off my 3-yr. bank car loan in Feb. 2013 and now own the vehicle outright, with a Kelly Blue Book value of around $30,000 - $32,000. In August 2013, I reached the 75,500mile mark, now will be averaging approx. 10,000 miles per year. I plan to hold onto this ML63 for another couple of years until I reach 100,000 miles and will then sell it.
Issues
For the most part my ML63 has been very reliable over the past six years. The issues that I have experienced since new have all been relatively minor, (except for number 6 and 8 below), and all were all corrected by my M-B Dealer and were covered under the original MBUSA vehicle warranty or my M-B Extended Limited Warranty, (except for number 8), and included the following:
1. Air Conditioner Compressor leak (lost refrigerant). AC Compressor was replaced in 2008.
2. Both metal running board tops were oxidizing and were replaced in 2008.
3. Two OEM 20” AMG alloy wheels experienced growing corrosion around the hubs due to clear coat failure. Both wheels replaced in 2009
4. One of the LED video screens in the rear of the passenger side head rest failed and was replaced with a new unit in 2008.
5. Rear tail gate closing issue due to faulty striker and bumpers were repaired in 2009.
6. Replace failed engine serpentine drive belt and isled pulley in 2010.
7. Replace a loose sunroof contact switch in 2013.
8. The ETC module, (the automatic transmission's computer brain), connected to the valve body / conductor plate inside the transmission had malfunctioned and had to be replaced, at a cost for parts & labor of just under $1,000 in Aug. 2013. (Note: my previously purchased MBUSA Extended Limited Warranty had expired on May 30, 2013 so I had to pay this cost out-of-pocket).
Extended Warranty
The important fact to keep in mind is that all of today's AMG vehicles are very expensive to repair, especially if there is any issue involving the engine or transmission, (see #8 above….). The cost of replacing the entire 6.3 engine alone has a MSRP of over $65,000! So in April 2011, nearing the end of the original M-B mfgrs warranty, I decided to purchase a Mercedes-Benz Extended Limited Warranty (ELW) for the ML63. The ELW can be purchased from any M-B Dealer and is available in a number of different mileage/months combinations at different costs. I elected to go with an ELW for an additional two years and/or 25,000 miles (up to 75,000 miles on the vehicle). The ELW was not cheap at $4,171 (which includes 7% NJ sales tax), but there is no deductible and I view it as an additional "insurance" cost that gives me important peace of mind. Repair or replacement of just one key covered component on this vehicle could easily total this amount. So if you have or buy a ML63 that is still within the original mfgrs. warranty I strongly suggest that you seriously consider exploring getting a M-B ELW that works for your budget and time frame in order to have the peace of mind of having that ELW coverage, just in case....
I believe that these vehicles, if property maintained, will last for quite some time and provide many satisfying miles of spirited driving. This strategy allows me to continue my enjoyable ownership and driving experience of my ML63 for a couple more years before I make a change. My current daily driver is a new, (as of June 2013), 2014 BMW M6 coupe, which also puts a wicked smile on my face when I get in it and start its engine, even though the the ML63’s wonderful naturally aspirated AMG engine’s baritone rumble sounds better to me….
Anyone else want to share their long-term ownership experiences....?
As an automobile enthusiast, I always want to drive an automobile that makes me happy. Happy to look at it, happy to drive it and enjoying the entire experience of driving it and its ownership, regardless of whether it is my daily driver or some other vehicle that is only driven occasionally. For me, the most important actual and subjective variables for my vehicles, independent of Manufacturer, are:
1. Safety features/design
2. Attractive aesthetics
3. Fun driving experience
4. Decent (if not good) gas mileage.
5. Powerful (meaning, fast acceleration, for fun and safety)
Why did I choose the ML63 AMG?
My selection criteria can be subjectively ranked in the order of importance as follows:
1. Fast - The desire for fast, exhilarating speed, primarily neck-wrenching, grin-inducing acceleration. (Faster than the other high-end SAV Porsche Cayenne Turbo at the time and prior to the release of the BMW X5M)
2. Uniqueness - Compared to the other SUV/SAV's on the road in your respective areas. (you don't see that many MB ML63 AMG's around, now do you.....)
3. Cargo Capacity - Able to accommodate 4 people and their stuff (well, we have to rationalize it somehow to the family and neighbors....)
4. Towing Capacity - Ability to tow things, trailers, boats, wave runners, etc. (best looking and most capable SUV/SAV hauler on the road!)
5. Mercedes-Benz reputation, - Including quality, prestige, and the fact that it is not a Jeep!
6. Prior/Current M-B Ownership - Having owned a Mercedes-Benz 190SL since 1974 has provided me with plenty of experience with M-B Dealers and M-B clubs and enthusiasts.
7. Safety - M-B has a proven track record in their design of vehicles for safety. The M-B W164 had the highest safety rating from a number of Transportation/Highway Associations, so it would be hard to do better than the ML in that category.
In addition, I need an all-wheel drive vehicle for the approx. 2 weeks of the year we have to deal with snow covered roads. Plus, while it is only my wife and myself, we need the cargo space and height for all of our "stuff" for our road trip vacations, i.e. golf clubs, her clothes, cooler, etc. That is my justification for getting a SUV/SAV/whatever... But I wanted one that looks great and has the handling and ride as muck like a car as possible, along with the performance of the AMG tuning that I had become spoiled with, coming out of a 2004 M-B E55 AMG.
Did I consider the E63 AMG wagon? Yes, for a few minutes at least, but I am "old school" and it is still a station wagon, with all of the memories and stigma from my childhood, although it is probably the hottest wagon available....
So my ML63 ownership story officially begins in June 2007 when I took delivery of a new 2007 ML63 AMG that I had built-to-suit, ordered through a local MB Dealer in NJ, specified with my preferred silver exterior color and black nappa leather interior and all factory options available at that time, except for Distronic, but did include a special order AMG illuminated front door sills. In 2008 I had an Escort Passport 9500ci stealth radar detector / laser detector/diffuser system custom installed, which has paid for itself a couple of times over...
When I first leased my ML63 AMG back in 2007 I drove it as my daily driver, using it to commute to and from NYC. I averaged approx. 15.5 mpg for these trips... not great gas mileage but what was advertised when I originally selected the vehicle, so not a surprise. This vehicle requires the use of premium gasoline to run properly and therefore I am now on a first-name basis with several gasoline station attendants in my town.
The W164, and the ML63 in particular, works wonderfully as a very fast, comfortable, and fun long distance cruiser, capable of accommodating and carting all of our luggage and "stuff" on our long weekend excursions and vacation road trips. It really is only on the long trips in this country on interstate highways where the ML63's incredible acceleration capability is able to be best used in the most appropriate way, such as on entrance ramps and for lane change passing, etc. I rationalize the ML's poor gas mileage as just one more vacation cost and realize and appreciate that it is also part of the cost of putting a silly smile on my face whenever I am driving it....
Tires
I purchased four winter performance tires: 295/40 R20 Pirelli Scorpion ICE & SNOW tires that I have mounted on the OEM rims in early Dec. each year and then have them removed and replaced at the end of the following April with my four (OEM) Continental Cross Contact UHP 295/40 ZR 20 high performance summer tires. This routine has worked well for me living and driving in the northeast US. I have been please with the performance and wear of both types and brands of tires. Keep in mind that you cannot put a 19”rim on the ML63 since they will not clear the large brake rotors so I have to use 20” rims all year round.
End of Lease - What to do?
During the last several months of my lease in the spring of 2010 I started the investigation of what my next vehicle would be. I have been very happy with my W164 and certainly realize that no mass-produced automobile will be perfect or without some issues. How it ultimately performs will be influenced on variable factors including how and where you drive it, how often you properly service it and where and how you store it.
After much deliberation whether to get a new similar vehicle such as the new ML63, or competing vehicles such as the BMW X5M and Porsche Cayenne Turbo, I decided that the most cost effective solution was to buy my ML63 from Mercedes-Benz Financial at the end of the lease since it only had about 37,000 miles on it. I realized that since my '07 ML63 was loaded, I had everything I really needed in that vehicle other than the latest electronic communication/entertainment gadgetry. I determined that if I purchased my vehicle off of lease it would cost me about half the cost of buying/leasing a new one, ($50,000 vs. $100,000). I was able to negotiate with MBF what I thought was an acceptable deal to buy it for approx. $2,000 below my lease's stated residual value of the vehicle. As an enthusiast, I always baby my vehicles and had the MB Dealer always perform all of the necessary regular and preventive maintenance and servicing so the vehicle was and remains in great shape. I have always had the engine oil and filter changed at approx. 7,000 miles. I even had my M-B Dealer upgrade the rear tail lights to the later generation LED's, which look really good.
Servicing
In early 2011, at the 50,000 mile milestone, I had my M-B Dealer perform all of the M-B recommended servicing items noted below that were recommended to be performed and 50,000 miles, as well as those recommended to be performed at 60,000 miles, as a precaution, since I was buying the vehicle off of my original lease. (Mercedes-Benz Maintenance Services: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 12 & 20). I also had all brake pads and rotors replaced on all four wheels, replaced both batteries, tire rotation, 4-wheel alignment, replace rusting lug bolts, (a common problem on all current M-B vehicles), and replace all 3 wiper blades. The total cost for all of this was $3,998.
In the summer of 2012, at the 70,000 mile mark, I had my M-B Dealer do the following recommended service on the vehicle:
1. Perform Mobil One synthetic oil and filter change
2. Perform a 4-Wheel Alignment after they remove my Winter Snow Tires and reinstall and balance my Summer Performance tires on the OEM rims
3. Flush & refill brake fluid (M-B Service 4)
4. Replace A.C. combination filter (M-B Service 5)
5. Replace air cleaner insert (M-B Service 8)
5. Change transmission oil & filter (M-B Service 20)
I paid off my 3-yr. bank car loan in Feb. 2013 and now own the vehicle outright, with a Kelly Blue Book value of around $30,000 - $32,000. In August 2013, I reached the 75,500mile mark, now will be averaging approx. 10,000 miles per year. I plan to hold onto this ML63 for another couple of years until I reach 100,000 miles and will then sell it.
Issues
For the most part my ML63 has been very reliable over the past six years. The issues that I have experienced since new have all been relatively minor, (except for number 6 and 8 below), and all were all corrected by my M-B Dealer and were covered under the original MBUSA vehicle warranty or my M-B Extended Limited Warranty, (except for number 8), and included the following:
1. Air Conditioner Compressor leak (lost refrigerant). AC Compressor was replaced in 2008.
2. Both metal running board tops were oxidizing and were replaced in 2008.
3. Two OEM 20” AMG alloy wheels experienced growing corrosion around the hubs due to clear coat failure. Both wheels replaced in 2009
4. One of the LED video screens in the rear of the passenger side head rest failed and was replaced with a new unit in 2008.
5. Rear tail gate closing issue due to faulty striker and bumpers were repaired in 2009.
6. Replace failed engine serpentine drive belt and isled pulley in 2010.
7. Replace a loose sunroof contact switch in 2013.
8. The ETC module, (the automatic transmission's computer brain), connected to the valve body / conductor plate inside the transmission had malfunctioned and had to be replaced, at a cost for parts & labor of just under $1,000 in Aug. 2013. (Note: my previously purchased MBUSA Extended Limited Warranty had expired on May 30, 2013 so I had to pay this cost out-of-pocket).
Extended Warranty
The important fact to keep in mind is that all of today's AMG vehicles are very expensive to repair, especially if there is any issue involving the engine or transmission, (see #8 above….). The cost of replacing the entire 6.3 engine alone has a MSRP of over $65,000! So in April 2011, nearing the end of the original M-B mfgrs warranty, I decided to purchase a Mercedes-Benz Extended Limited Warranty (ELW) for the ML63. The ELW can be purchased from any M-B Dealer and is available in a number of different mileage/months combinations at different costs. I elected to go with an ELW for an additional two years and/or 25,000 miles (up to 75,000 miles on the vehicle). The ELW was not cheap at $4,171 (which includes 7% NJ sales tax), but there is no deductible and I view it as an additional "insurance" cost that gives me important peace of mind. Repair or replacement of just one key covered component on this vehicle could easily total this amount. So if you have or buy a ML63 that is still within the original mfgrs. warranty I strongly suggest that you seriously consider exploring getting a M-B ELW that works for your budget and time frame in order to have the peace of mind of having that ELW coverage, just in case....
I believe that these vehicles, if property maintained, will last for quite some time and provide many satisfying miles of spirited driving. This strategy allows me to continue my enjoyable ownership and driving experience of my ML63 for a couple more years before I make a change. My current daily driver is a new, (as of June 2013), 2014 BMW M6 coupe, which also puts a wicked smile on my face when I get in it and start its engine, even though the the ML63’s wonderful naturally aspirated AMG engine’s baritone rumble sounds better to me….
Anyone else want to share their long-term ownership experiences....?
)) The advertised mileage, 12 and 16 still holds true. That's for town and highway at 80 mph. At a steady 60 mph, after the engine is hot, you still can get an honest 20 mpg fuel consumption. Too bad, the suspension was tuned for safe travel at 150 mph. (It supposedly even pulled a 20 foot camper at 140 mph.) But around town, over roads with repairs and potholes, it definitely is no Citroen ID19, two of which I owned in the 1960s. Now that was something to brag about. 
